Article carrier



E. L. ARNESON ARTICLE CARRIER May'9, 1961 Filed April 4, 1958 INVENTOR. 1121002 fiarlzeaoiz, BY M QM //W 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. L. ARNESON ARTICLE CARRIER May 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Shae Filed April 4, 1958 Q INVENTOR. Eda/02 Z. Jrrzeaozz BY m W 5 i 5 M y 1961 E. L. ARNESON 2,983,406

ARTICLE CARRIER Filed April 4, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I ll w MM 59 INVENTOR. [dam/mi d'r/zeaorz,

United States Patent ARTICLE CARRIER Edwin L. Arneson, Morris, 11]., assignor to Federal Paper Board Company, Inc., Bogota, N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 726,367

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-105) This invention relates to article carriers and is more particularly concerned with improvements in carriers formed of paperboard or similar material for the handling of beverage bottles or similar-articles.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a carrier of the type generally employed for carrying bottled beverages which is characterized by an article supporting body portion in the "form of a tray having a bottom wall and upstanding side and end walls, and a handle and partition forming structure for suspending the tray which comprises a U-shaped cross dividerinsert and a longitudinal partition and handle panel having interlock-ing connection with the cross divider insert.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a three piece cellular article carrier which is especially adapted for single use, which adequately supports the articles so that they may be readily carried, and which may be fabricated with a minimum thickness of paperboard in each of the three pieces and yet retains suflicient strength for safe carrying while also satisfying existing regulations for safe rail transportation of glass bottles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a three piece bottle carrier of the type described wherein each of the three pieces is adapted to be furnished to the user in flat or folded condition so as to achieve economy of space while being transported to the bottling plant and wherein the carrier is adapted to be readily assembled at the bottling plant without the useof expensive machinery.

It is another object of the invention to provide acellular article carrier comprising an open topped tray having spaced transverse slots in the bottom for receiving a U-shaped cross divider which cross divider in turn has vertical slots provided in its upstanding legs 'for interlocking engagement with portions of a longitudinal partition and handle forming panel, the latter being provided- 2,983,406 Patented May 9, 1961 of the bottles placed in the carrier cells.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent from a consideration of the carrier which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is. a perspective view of anarticle carrier embodying the principal features of the invention, the carrier being in set-up, ready for use position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in Figure lwith portions thereof broken away to show the longitudinal partition and handle structures;

Figure 3 is a partial transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 to an enlarged scale; p

' Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line of Figure 2, to an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, of a blank which is cut and scored to provide, the tray-like body portion of the carrier;

Figure 6 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, of a blank cut and scored to provide the cross divider member of the carrier;

' Figure 7 is a perspective view with portions broken away of a cellular container illustrating a modification with vertical slots opening at its bottom edge for receiv-,

ing the upstanding legs of the cross divider and with upwardly directed hook members extending laterally at, opposite edges of the slots and within the plane of the panel whereby the panel is adapted for engaging in interlocked relation with the cross divider legs and the cross divider forms a sling for suspending the tray.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a three piece cellular bottle carrier consisting of a collapsible, open topped tray having transversely extending, longitudinally spaced slots in the bottom thereof, a U- shaped divider adapted to have its legs project upwardly through the bottom slots of the tray and provided with vertical slots which terminate short of the upper edges thereof, and a longitudinal partition and handle panel having vertical slots which are longitudinally spaced to correspond approximately with the spacing of the slots in the bottom of the tray and having upwardly projecting hook formations extending into the slots in the partition and handle panel which are adapted to engage in interlocking relation in the slots in the legs of the cross divider with the upper ends of the latter terminating of the invention; Figure 8 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7; I V

Figure 9 is a partial longitudinal section taken on the line-9'9 of Figure 8; and v Figure 10 is a partial plan view of a in forming the container of Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a cellular article carrier 10 embodying the principal features of the invention which is adapted to receive six beverage bottles arranged in two rows of cells on opposite sides of a longitudinal partition and handle member. The carrier 10, as illustrated, is formed with three main parts, namely a tray-like body forming member 11, an insert cross partition member 12, and a 1onblank employed gitudinal partition and handle member 13. The structure of the respective carrier members will be best understood by reference first to the manner in which 'blanks of paperboard or like material are cut and scored or creased for forming the same.

The 'body or tray member 11 is formed from a gene'rally rectangular blank which is cut and scored or creased as shown in Figure 5 so thatit is'symmetrical (about longitudinal and transverse center lines. The blank is di inner sides by edge forming, transversely extending, parallel cutting lines 20 and 20 which are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance between these lines and the transverse score lines 15, 15', respectively, thereby dividing the bottom panel 17 into three substantially equal, rectangular article supportingareas. The slots 19 and 19 are defined on the opposite or outer sides by edge forming cutting lines 21 and 21 having angularly related sections-and extending into the panel areas between the cutting lines 20, 20 and the transversescore lines 15, 15', respectively, so as to provide each slot with a width somewhat greater at the center than at its opposite ends.

The transverse score lines and 15 separate from the center portion of the blank end sections which are cut in an identical manner to provide rectangular end Wall panels 22 and 22' which are adapted to hinge' on the transverse score lines 15 and 15 about the end edges of the bottom wall panel 17 and pairs of identical end wall locking flaps 23 and 23" which are adapted to hinge about the end portions of the score lines 15, 15 which separate the same from the ends of the side wall forming panels 18 and 18. The pairs of end wall locking flaps 23 and 23 are cut free of the end wall forming panels 22 and 22 and are somewhat less in width, measured in the longitudinal direction of the blank, than one-half of the width of the end wall panels 22 and 22, measured in the transverse direction of the blank. The end wall panels 22 and 22 are of the same width as the bottom wall panel 17 and having a length or depth corresponding to the depth of the side wall panels 18 and 18.

Each pair of end wall locking tabs 23 and 23' is adapted to be positioned, when the carrier is set up, in face engaging relation with the adjoining end wall panel 22 or 22' and locked or otherwise secured thereto to hold the end wall structure in upright erected position relative to the bottom wall panel 17. In the illustrated form of the carrier the end wall flaps 23 and 23' are provided with triangular shaped locking tongues 24 and 24' which are formed in an identical manner. Thus, the tongue 24 is formed by cutting along the end edge of the flap 23 on longitudinally offset, transverse lines 25' and 26 and on a relatively short diagonal line 27 which extends into the body of the flap in the direction of the intersection of the score lines 15 and 16, so as to locate the tongue 24 near the center of the free transverse edge of the flap. The end wall panels 22 and 22' are cut in an'identical manner to form a pair of locking slits 28, 28' for co:- operation with the locking tongues 24 and 24 on a pair of the end wall flaps 23 and 23. The locking slits 28, 28 in the end wall panel 22 are formed by cutting on parallel lines which extend from the score line 15 to diagonal cutting lines 29 and 29 which are in converging relation and which terminate at the outer ends of relatively short, transversely extending and transversely aligned cutting lines 39 and 30', the latter being spaced from the score line 15 a distance slightly less than the distance from the point of the locking tongue 24 to the longitudinal score line 16 extended or approximately a distance from the end edge 31 of the end wall panel 22 which is equal to the length of the end edge portion 26 of the locking flap 23.

In forming the tray 11 from the cut and scored blank the end wall panels 22 and 22 are folded about the score lines 15, 15' into upright position. The side wall panels 18 and 18' are folded about the score lines 16, 16' into upright position relative to the bottom wall panel 17. Thereafter, the end wall locking flaps 23 and 23 are folded inwardly about the score lines 15 and 15' into face engagement with the outer faces of the end wall panels 22 and 22 and the locking tongues 24 and 24' and adjoining panel portions are forced inwardly through the locking slits 28, 28 to place the end portion of each tongue in engagement with the inner surface of the end wall flap above the transversely extending cutting lines 30 and30' (Figures 1 and 2).

The cross partition member 12 of the carrier is cut from a generally rectangular blank as shown in Figure 6, the blank having a width corresponding to the internal transverse dimension of the tray 11. The blank 12 is scored on the parallel score lines 32 and 3-2 which are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the space between the edges 20 and 20 of the slots 19 and 19 in the bottom wall panel 17, thereby separating the blank into a central rectangular section 33 and end sections 34, 34'. Each leg portion 34, 34 of the cross divider panel 12 is cut in an identical manner to provide a slot 35 of predetermined length or height extending from the bottom edge score line 32 or 32 and an edge slot 36 which is aligned with the slot 35 and which extends inwardly or downwardly of the free top forming edge of the leg portion. The edge slot 3d has a widened entrance throat at 37 while the bottom slot 35 has a widened central portion at 38, and both slots 35 and 36 have a minimum widthwhich is somewhat greater than the thickness of the materim in the partition panel 13 which is adapted to be received in these slots.

The longitudinal partition and handle panel 13 is cut from a single rectangular blank as shown in Figure 4. It is provided along the one longitudinal margin with a series of hand holes 39 and along its opposite longitudinal margin with two parallel, longitudinally spaced slots 41) and 40 which extend transversely of the blank and open on the side edge of the blank which constitutes the bottom edge 41 of the panel 13 in the set up carrier. The slots 40 and 411 are formed by cutting the blank on oppositely disposed, inverted, J-shaped lines 42 and 42 which terminate at their upper or inner ends at parallel cutting lines 43 and 43', the latter being spaced apart a distance corresponding approzdmately to the width of the panel section between the slots 19 and 19 in the bottom wall panel 17 and defining the outer edges of the upper portions of the slots 46 and 4G. The cutting lines' 43 and 43 terminate short of the bottom edge 41 of the panel 13 and at the base of the hook forming tongues 44 and 44' which have their oppositely disposed edges spaced from the slot edges 43 and 43 so as to provide vertical guideways 45 and 45' between the hook formations 44 and 44' and the outer edges 43 and 43' of the slots. The tongue-like hook formations 44 and 44' project inwardly of the outside edges of the slots 40 and 40' in the plane of the panel 13 and have their inwardly facing edges 46 and 46' spaced from the J-shaped slot edges 42 and 42' a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of material in the cross partition member 12, with their outer ends extending diagonally outward in diverging relation so as to form enlarged throat openings for the slots 40 and 4d. The inner extremity of the tongues 44 and 44 each terminate at a distance from the side edge 41 of the blank which is slightly less than the length of the slots 35 in the legs of the cross partition member 12 so that when the members are assembled as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the tongues 44 and 44 extend through the slots 35. The upper guideway forming portions 45 and 45' of the slots 49 and 40 extend towards the top edge of the panel 13 a suflicient distance to permit raising the partition and handle panel 13 as indicated in Figure 4.

In assembling the carrier for use, the tray portion 11 is first set up by folding the side and end wall panels 18, 18' and 22, 22' into upstanding relation with the bottom wall panel 17 and securing the latter by folding in the end wall locking flaps 23, 23 and engaging the same in locking relation therewith. The cross partition member 12 is folded into U-shaped form about the score lines 32 and 32' and the leg portions 34 and 34 are passed upwardly through the slots 19 and 19' in the bottom wall panel 17. The handle and partition panel 13 may then be positioned in the edge slots 36 of the leg portions 34 and 34' and the latter moved toward each other so as to position the same for movement into the open ends of the slots 40 and 40' in the panel 13. The panel 13 is moved in a downward direction until the tongues 44 and '44 are aligned with the bottom slots 35 in the leg portions 34 and 34' of the cross partition member 12 whereupon the leg portions 34 and 34' will spring away from each other when released and move into engagement with the outside edges 43 and 43' of the slots 40 and 40' thereby positioning the tongues or hook formations 44, and 44' between the cross partition forming portions 34 and 34' of the member 12 so that when the longitudinal partition 13 is grasped and pulled upwardly, it will have a limited upward movement with the edges of the panel 13 at the bottom of the slots 45 and 45' engaging with the cross partition member 12 at the top edges of the slots 35 and cross partition member 12 will be supported in the form of a sling from the longitudinal partition 13 and the tray 11 will be supported from the cross partition 12 as will be clear from Figures 2 and 4.

All three blanks from which the three elements of the carrier are formed may be supplied to the user of the carrier in flat condition and readily set up when required for use. The forming of the tray, the shaping of the cross partition member 12, and the assembly ofthe members into the carrier may be readily accomplished on automatic machinery provided for-this purpose.

The tray memberll may be provided with a different end wall structure, as for example, the corner connecting flaps or panels may be adhesively secured to the end Wall forming panel either on the inside or outside of the latter or the connecting panels may be integrally hinged to the end wall panels and adhesively secured to the side wall forming panels.

In Figures 7 to there is illustrated a modified construction in which the bottles are adapted to be completely enclosed in a cellular container. The main body of the container is in the form of a paperboard carton with a cover member hinged to the top edge of one of the side walls. The cellular structure is formed in the same manner as in the carrier previously described.

The. exterior carton 50 which corresponds to thebtray member 11 in the previously described carrier is formed from a generally rectangular blank which is illustrated in Figure 10, only half of the blank being shown since it is symmetrical about the center line aa. The blank is cut and scored to provide a bottom wall forming panel 51, adjoining side wall panels 52 and .52, and a cover forming panel 53 which adjoins the one side wallpanel 52. The blank is cut at each end to provide an end wall panel 54 extending from the bottom wall panel 51, and identical end wall locking flaps 55, 55 which extend from the side wall panels 52 and 52'. The bottom panel 51 is separated from the side wall panels 52 and 52' by parallel score lines 56 and 56 extending in the direction of the blank which is longitudinally of the car-ton when set up, while the cover panel 53 is separated from the side wall panel 52 by a longitudinal score l-ine 57 which is parallel with the score line 56. The cover panel 53 has a closurefiap 58 extending along its free margin and separated therefrom by the longitudinal score line 59 which is parallel with the score line 57. Relatively short locking slits 59' are provided at the ends of the score line 57. The end wall panel 54 and thetwo locking flaps 55 and 55 are separated from the bottom wall panel 51 and the side Wall panels 52 and 52' by the transverse score line 60. The end wall panel 54 has a relatively narrow flap member 61 extending along the outer end margin thereof and separated therefrom by the transverse score line 62. This flap 61 is provided at the outer edge which is aligned with the longitudinal score'line 56 with a projecting locking tongue or lug 63. The end wall locking flaps 55 and 55 are slit diagonally at their end edges to provide locking tongues 64 and 64' while the end wall panel 54 is provided with identical locking slits 65 and 65' for receiving in interlocking relation the marginal portions of the locking flaps 55 and 55', this arrangement of the members being the same as in a tray construction 11. The bottom wall panel 51 is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending cross partition receiving slots 66 which are somewhat wider at the center than at the ends, which face in opposite directions, and which divide the panel 51 into three equal sections.

A cross partition forming member 67 (Figures 8 and 9) is provided which is formed from a single blank and adapted to be folded into U-shape. The blank is transversely scored on the parallel lines 68 and 68 to form a bottom section 69 and two cross partition forming sections 70, 70' which extend upwardly of the bottom in the setup condition of the carton. Each of the cross partition forming sections 70 and 70' is provided with a bottom slot 71 and a top slot 72, the former extending upwardly of the bottomhinge line and the latter extending downwardly of the top edge with the two slots terminating in spaced relation to each other. The top slot 72 has a widened entrance portion at the edge. The cross partition member 67' is folded into U-shape and positioned in the outer'carton 50 as illustrated with the cross partition forming sections 70 and 70 extending through the'slots 66 in the bottom wall 51.

A longitudinal partition panel 73 is cut from a single blank (Figure 9) so as to provide spaced vertical slots 74 and 74 extending upwardly of its bottom edge. The slots 74 and 74' are shaped similar to the slots 40 and 40 in the form of the partition shown in Figure 4. The slots 74 and 74' extend at their upper ends to a point corresponding approximately to the bottom of the slots 72 in the cross partition member 67. The slots 74 and 74' are relatively wide at the bottom and have inner edges in the form of an inverted J. Locking tongues 75 and 75' project inwardly and upwardly from the outer edge of each of the slots 74 and 74' with the upper ends thereof terminating at a height corresponding approximately with the tops of the slots 71 in the cross partitions '70 and 70. The upper portions of the slots 74 and 74 extend downwardly a short distance below the upper portions of the locking tongues 75 and 75 to facilitate assembly of the longitudinal partition-73 with the cross partitions 70 and 70 in the same manner as described with reference to the form of the carrier shown in Figures l to 6.

In assembling the container, the body portion 50 is first set up by folding the side wall panels and the end wall panels into upstanding relation to the botom wall panel 51 and securing the latter in the same manner as in setting up the'tray 11. The cross partition member 67 is folded into U-shape about the score lines 68 and 68' and the leg portions 70 and 70' are passed upwardly through the slots 66 in the bottom Wall panel 51. The longitudinal partition panel 73 is then positioned in the edge slots 72 of the cross partition forming leg portions 70 and 70' and the latter are moved toward each other. The panel 73 is moved in a downward direction until the locking tongues 75 pass through the bottom slits 71 in the cross partitions 70 and 70' The height of the longitudinal partition panel 73 and the cross partitions 7t} and 70 is approximately the same as the height of the side walls 52 and 52 so that the end flaps 61 may be folded in and the cover panel 53 folded down over the top of the carton. The closure flap 53 is tucked inside the top margin of the front wall 52 and locked in position by engagement of the locking tongues 63 in the cooperating slits 59'. The

bottles are, of course, placed in the cells before the cover 53 is disclosed and the completed package makes a compact, completely closed unit.

An alternative cover arrangement may be provided for the carton 50 by having two closure panels each hinged to the top edge of a side wall, with each panel being half the width of the carton and having hinged closure flaps on the free edges which may be tucked on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition 73.

While particular materials and specific details of construction have been referred to in describing the form of the carrier illustrated, it will be understood that other materials and equivalent details of construction may be resorted towithin the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A cellular article carrier formed of flexible paperboard comprising :a tray member having upstanding side and end walls hingedly connected at adjacent corner forming edges and a bottom hinged to the bottom edges of said 7 side and end walls, said bottom having parallel, longitudinally spaced, transverse slots which divide the same into three equal sections in the longitudinal direction, a divider of U-shaped form having its legs inserted in said slots and extending in vertical, parallel relation with the end walls and forming spaced cross partitions, said cross partitions having vertically extending center slots which terminate short of the top edge thereof, a retractible, longitudinal partition and handle panel member having downwardly opening vertical slots which are longitudinally spaced in accordance with the spacing of said cross partitions, said slots in said partition and handle member being shaped to provide upwardly projecting hook portions which extend inwardly of the edges of the slots at the opposite sides thereof, said hook portions being adapted to engage in the slots in said cross partitions, said cross partition slots and said hook portions extending vertically and having vertical dimensions which permit limited vertical movement of said partition and handle member relative to said cross partitions between a lowered position where the bottom edge of said partition and ham dle member rests on the bottom wall and an elevated position Where said bottom edge is spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall and where the weight of the tray member is supported by the sling forming arrangement of the U-shaped divider.

2. A cellular article carrier formed of flexible paperboard comprising a tray member having upstanding side and end walls hingedly connected at adjacent corner forming edges and a bottom hinged to the bottom edges of. said side and end walls, said bottom having cross slots dividing the same into three equal rectangular sections, a cross divider of U-shaped form having its cross partition forming legs inserted in said slots and extending in vertical parallel spaced relation, said divider legs having vertical tending to the bottom edge of said panel member which are spaced so as to receive the legs of said cross divider, said partition and handle panel being cut to provide upwardly directed hook members which extend inwardly of one side of the slots therein and which hook members are located so as to extend through the slots in the legs of said cross divider member and to cooperate with said slot edges in providing vertical guideways terminating short of the top and bottom edges of said panel with their spacing corresponding to the spacing of the legs of said divider member, said cross divider slots and said hook members being spaced vertically to permit movement of said partition and handle panel into said guide- Ways whereby said partition and handle panel is slidable from a lowered position where the bottom edge thereof. rests on the bottom wall to an elevated position where the bottom edge thereof is spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,576,179 Holy Nov. 27; 1951 2,652,968 Bolding Sept. 22, 1953 2,727,653 Pasjack. Dec. 20, 1955 2,807,389 Strauss Sept. 24, 1957 2,811,279 Arneson Oct. 29, 1957 

